Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist composition which comprises a sensitizer and is sensitive to ultraviolet rays (G-line, H-line, I-line and so on), far ultraviolet rays (excimer laser and so on), electron rays, ion beam and radio-active rays, e.g. x rays.
Recently, particularly in the production of integrated circuits, miniaturization has proceeded as the integration level has increased, which results in demands for formation of patterns of submicron order and improved resolution. According to conventional processes for the production of integrated circuits, light exposure is accomplished by placing a mask in intimate contact to a substrate, e.g. a silicon wafer. It is said that this process cannot make patterns thinner than 2 .mu.m. Instead of such conventional processes, the reduction projection exposure system attracts attention. According to this new system, a pattern of a master mask (reticle) is projected on the substrate with reduction by a lens system, whereby exposure is accomplished.
One of the serious problems in this system is low throughput. Namely, in this system, the total exposure time to expose a wafer is very long because of divided and repeated light exposure unlike a batch light exposure system which is employed in the conventional mask contact printing methods.
To solve this problem, not only an improvement in the apparatus but also an increase in sensitivity of the resist to be used are important. If the exposure time can be shortened by an increase in the sensitivity, the throughput and in turn the yield can be improved.
On the other hand, as the distance between the two adjacent lines is decreased with an increase in the integration level, dry etching is predominantly used rather than wet etching. The photoresist should have better heat resistance than ever.
When the positive photoresist now in practical use is checked from this standpoint, its sensitivity, resolution and heat resistance are not necessarily satisfactory. Generally, the positive photoresist has lower sensitivity than the negative photoresist and improvement in the sensitivity of the former is desired.
To increase the sensitivity, it is easiest to decrease a molecular weight of a novolak resin used in the positive photoresist. The decrease of the novolak resin molecular weight accelerates dissolution of the photoresist in an alkaline developing solution so that the apparent sensitivity of the photoresist is increased.
This method, however, has a very serious disadvantage that the heat resistance of the photoresist deteriorates. Moreover, it encounters some problems, e.g. large film thickness loss in an unexposed area (reduction of so-called film thickness retention), worsening a shape of the pattern, deterioration of the y-value because of small differences in the dissolving rates in the developing solution between the exposed area and the unexposed area.
In view of this, positive resists satisfying sensitivity, resolution and heat resistance at the same time have not been on the market up to now. Attempts to improve one of these three characteristics, leaves at least one of the remaining characteristics impaired.